We Were Young
by shirleyj-dren
Summary: At the risk of receiving hate mail... I always wish that Leia and Han had had their intense initial romance and gone their seperate ways. They're very different people. This is a wee fic trying that concept out - give it a chance! All characters (except Leia's fiance, Daxim) are of course owned by George Lucas.
1. Chapter 1

PART 1

"Mistress Leia?"

"Yes, Threepio?"

"There is a call for you on your private line."

Chief of State Leia Organa had been looking through Senate minutes with her staff when her droid, C-3PO, had entered her home office. "Excuse me, everyone," she said, and rose to take the call. She knew exactly who it would be, and the thought brought a much-needed smile to her weary face.

Shutting the sitting-room door, she headed to her comm unit and pressed the appropriate buttons to show an image of the caller. "Hello, Fly-boy."

"Hello, Princess," came the dry response.

" 'Chief of State' these days, I'll have you know."

"No kidding?" he replied sarcastically. "You really do rule the galaxy these days."

"Ha, ha."

Han Solo's ruggedly handsome features broke into a grin. "I'll be on your planet next week, for work."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Want to meet somewhere?"

"Why don't you come to my apartment? I'll have the kitchen staff put on a good Corellian spread."

"Er, you say 'apartment', but you really mean, 'tower'."

"Han…"

"Lady, I've seen the damn thing on the holo-news. And Luke told me about it. It's like a palace stuck atop a building for mere mortals."

"Well, I did grow up a princess. I need room for all my fine things."

Han laughed again. "Sure, that'd be great." He paused. "Will your man mind?"

Leia rolled her eyes. "You two are as bad as each other. Daxim's convinced that I'll soon be bored of him and back out in the _Falcon_ with you on a mad adventure."

"Any time you want, my dear."

"Don't you have commitments now, too?"

"Only to Talon Karrde's business interests, sucker that I am."

"Anyone both brave and mad enough to hire, let's see, you, Lando, and Booster Terrik as their representatives and pilots…" Leia shook her head in fondness for all four men.

"Don't forget Mara Jade. She'll be coming to Coruscant with me."

Leia's eyes narrowed, but not out of her own benefit. "Is that so?"

Han caught her meaning. "Damn, Leia, you know I like strong women, but _no_. Firstly, we all think of her as a little sister. And secondly…" He shook his head. "Let's just say, when you and I broke up, I knew that you wouldn't have fed my manhood through a mincing machine."

"Ah. So she's as tough as everyone says."

"You could say that." Han tilted his head in curiosity. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason, Solo."

"How's your brother, Leia?"

Leia winced. Her ex-lover could still read her so well. "Fine, I think."

"He needs to get laid."

"Han!"

He chuckled. "Gotta go, Princess. See you next week."

_Hope you all like so far! I'm just planning to do a friendship piece – this is a sort of teaser. Please review. _


	2. Chapter 2

PART 2

"This is Captain Krid of the Chief of State's hangar security team speaking. Please identify yourself."

"Hi, Captain. This is Han Solo of the _Millennium Falcon_. The Chief of State is expecting me."

A very faint _beep_ as the captain checked the guest list data and voice identification screens. "Very well, Captain Solo. Please manoeuvre slowly through the hangar."

"I wouldn't dream of speeding, Captain Krid."

The other man was obviously too well-trained to make any kind of snappy comeback. One of the many reasons Han had had to leave the life of a Rebellion champion behind: he couldn't bear the thought of beings like Captain Krid _attending_ to him all the time.

Still, he and Lando had together discovered the perks of being both war heroes and free agents. Lando's current squeeze was a busty holo-vid actress who giggled delightedly at everything Lando said. Her friends – actress-model-singer-heiress-whatevers – were always highly impressed with Han's tales of his Rebellion adventures, and with the money he made working for Karrde's business. They never had much to say, really, but Han enjoyed their company enormously.

Han returned his attention to the controls, landing the _Falcon _smoothly in amongst the private fleet. Hell, Leia truly did have 'her own everything', as he'd told Lando and Karrde before he left – several large, impressively beautiful transports of an obvious Mon Calamiri design towered above the _Falcon_ in all directions. Dozens of security and ground staff watched Han's ship carefully but discreetly as they went about their duties.

Han knew the standard protocol for visitors to Leia Organa and Daxim Reyn: Captain Krid or one of his equivalents would, with military officers, escort you from the hangar to the Chief of State's offices, where you would be met by an aide, secretary, bodyguard, or perhaps Winter or C-3PO. Only Winter or the couple themselves could welcome you to the residence.

Han Solo, however, was no normal visitor, and it delighted him to see Leia herself walking across the hangar, a smile on her lipsticked lips. The jewellery she wore probably amounted to more in worth than Han's salary, and her hair and make-up were flawless, but she was dressed fairly understatedly, in a knee-length dress and flat shoes of the same shade of berry-purple. She was closely followed by Daxim, and though he couldn't see them – hence their effectiveness –, Han knew there had to be Noghri bodyguards somewhere nearby.

Leia opened her arms as Han made his way down the ramp, and they embraced hard.

"Hello, Han."

"Hey, Princess."

She pulled back. "Let's talk in the living-room." She nodded to a hovering pair of aides. "Please have Captain Solo's luggage transported to his suite."

"I, uh, didn't bring much," Han found himself saying, almost apologetically, to the aides. Man, he could never have coped with _staff_. Then, he turned to Leia and Daxim.

"Suite? I get my own suite, huh?"

"You do indeed," Daxim replied. He was a tall, slim man with a noble bearing and soft grey eyes. Leia had left her scoundrel-loving days far behind by picking this man, a highly-skilled diplomat, to marry. He stepped forward. "Good to see you, Han."

Han shook the outstretched hand. "You too, pal."

Daxim suddenly chuckled. "Perhaps we should hug. After all, the HoloNet celebrity news still thinks we're sworn enemies."

"It does?" Han asked, laughing, as they began walking to the hangar.

"Unfortunately, yes. We regularly appear side by side on holozine covers, with such delightful captions as 'Reyn and Solo: the rivalry is back on'."

Han shrugged. "What can you do? I don't take any notice of that trash."

"Trash it may be, but it does come up in serious interviews and talks. You wouldn't believe."

"Well, maybe tonight, we should stand at one of your big windows and throw a punch or two. Just in case they're hanging around outside."

"Don't you two dare!" Leia said, laughing anyway, as she led them into the residence.

It turned out that Leia had kept her promise: the kitchen had put out a full 'good Corellian spread', complete with whisky. Both Leia and Daxim refrained from the alcohol, allowing Han with the whole bottle. Daxim left fairly early in the evening for some kind of meeting, kissing his wife-to-be and gently caressing her braided hair. The couple stared into one another's eyes for such a long time that Han had to look away, slightly embarrassed. He'd never been one for public affection – another reason his and Leia's romance had ended so quickly.

Romance? Fling? Relationship? What was the right word? It had been hard to judge how serious they'd ever actually been about one another, considering the mad circumstances of their getting together, and that they'd never been too public about it – no-one but their closest friends actually knew for a fact that they'd once been lovers. Han had to admit, in his darker moments, that he'd never, ever got over losing his first love, Bria, who'd been killed for her involvement in the early days of the Rebel Alliance. And Leia had met Daxim so soon after she and Han had decided to just be friends, and now she was marrying him, in a large fancy ceremony, in a couple of months' time, after only just being made Chief of State. Han liked Daxim very much, but he didn't at all envy him the task of being Leia's 'consort', a title that made Han cringe. It wasn't really a manly thing to be, was it?

Daxim had left, and Leia was now regarding her old friend curiously. "Credit for 'em, Solo?"

"Ah, nuttin'. Just… I'm glad you're happy."

Leia smiled. "When are you going to settle down, Han?"

"You mean… commitment?" Han feigned horror, downing his whisky. "Words like that make me nervous, Princess."

Leia rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Ever the scoundrel."

"'Fraid so." He poured himself another small glass, then held the bottle over Leia's glass, meeting her eyes questioningly. She waved her hand. "No, thanks."

"Go on, live a little. I promise I won't get you drunk and take pictures and put them on the HoloNet."

"I can't, Han."

"Can't?"

Leia's perfect, royal little teeth nipped her lower lip, and she looked away from Han for a moment, then back to him. "Okay, Solo. Do you promise to keep a secret?"

"Absolutely, Princess."

"I mean it, you mustn't tell a soul. Not even Chewie. Only Daxim and Luke and Winter know, thus far."

"Woman, tell!"

Leia folded her hands over the belly of her dress. "I'm going to have a baby." She still sounded surprised by the news herself as she fingered her large engagement ring. "I'll be Mrs. Reyn in six weeks, and a mother six months after. Insane, right?" She laughed, a little tightly.

Han frowned. "Princess, I gotta be honest: you don't sound as thrilled as I thought you'd be."

"Oh, Han, of course I'm happy. Daxim's delighted, if a little worried about the press' reaction – for my sake, I mean. But I'm… scared. I didn't think I ever wanted children, and I told Daxim that. And now it's happening."

"Leia, you'll be a great mother."

"I'll hardly be here for him, Han – I've just been made Chief of State. That's a term of at least five years. I'll miss so much. What if he grows up resenting me?"

"Your dad was a king. You don't resent him."

"That was different. Royal families come as a team, they're constantly together. This baby isn't a politician; I couldn't take him to functions and such until I know he'd be old enough to behave." Leia bit her lip again, her eyes focusing somewhere else. "And…"

"And what?"

"Bail Organa was a king. Anakin Skywalker was a Sith Lord. I can already feel this baby's Force potential – he's going to be far stronger than I'll ever be. What if…?"

Han took his friend's clenched fist in his hand. "Leia, you're being nuts. Luke'll be around to teach him and take care of him, especially now the Academy's really getting going."

"I know…"

"And you have Winter – she can take care of him when you and Daxim aren't around. She'll always put you first." He squeezed her relaxing fist. "And you'll always have me. You know that."

"I do, Han." Leia met his gaze, then suddenly laughed, loudly.

"What?"

"You, Chewie, Lando, Karrde, Mara, and Booster playing babysitter? It's the funniest idea I've had for a while."

Han laughed, too, picturing a cape-clad, perfectly-polished Lando attempting to chase a sugar-high toddler. He told Leia, and they sniggered together for a long while. Then Han added, "Actually, having a baby 'round Mara might not be such a crazy idea."

Leia stared at him. "I beg your pardon?"

"Well, she and Luke have been… getting close."

"Seriously? He hasn't mentioned anything to me."

"Well, the _Wild Karrde_ is stationed near Yavin just now, so Luke comes up to visit sometimes. Always stays with Mara."

Leia frowned slightly. "I'm not sure I approve."

"I don't think she's trying to kill him anymore, Leia!"

"Well, no, but that is a factor. It generally doesn't attract me to people."

"Luke's a bit weird, though."

Leia started to protest, then giggled. "You're right. He can be a strange one." She held Han's gaze, pouring herself some tea. "Mara? Really?"

"Surely it's good he's got something else to do besides his hocus-pocus."

"Han…"

"I know, I'm teasing. But what's the problem if he's got himself a little romantic company?"

"I just always pictured Luke with some sweet girl with a similar past to his. I don't know. I was planning to take him on some official visits with me after my wedding, show him off to society."

"I suppose. But unexpected couples work, sometimes."

"Not us." There was no sadness in Leia's voice – it was a mere factual statement.

Han shrugged. "We were young, and in a crazy situation."

"Well, _I _was young. You were approaching middle age, and now you're in it."

"Speak for yourself, lady," Han retorted good-naturedly. "And, besides, who else was going to keep you entertained in those days? Your other choices were: your twin, a Wookiee, droids, and Lando. I guess I was the best of a bad lot."

Leia rolled her eyes. "Stop fishing, Solo." She stood, having composed herself. "Shall I show you around my tower?" she asked, offering her arm.

Han took it, grinning. "Sure. How big's this suite I'm getting?"

"As big as any house you've ever seen. And I've assigned an old friend to take care of you during your whole stay." She opened the door in a long hallway, adn there, freshly-shined, stood C-3PO.

"Hello, Captain Solo. I must say, it's so good to see you."

Han glanced at Leia, who smiled innocently in response.


End file.
